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Kids and Weddings

Planning a wedding is time consuming, relentless and sometimes stressful. Having children is…well, quite similar actually.

Planning a wedding with your children in tow is an entire challenge in itself. If you are planning a wedding and wondering how you can include your kids in both the planning and the day itself without losing your mind along the way, here are some ideas to get you started. Also potentially useful if you’re planning on inviting lots of kids to your wedding. Braving wedding season with the kids in tow? Skip to the end for some top tips on surviving the season!

Keeping them involved

Kids love to be helpful and included so giving them specific tasks during the course of the day is sure to keep them happy. It might seem obvious but asking them to be ring bearer’s and flower girls or even asking them to be in charge of handing out confetti are all great ways to make them a part of the day.

When you’re announced into the room as Mr & Mrs why not get the kids involved too so you can be introduced together as a family? Kids will love the attention and it will be a lovely moment for you all to remember.

Think about adding some kid-friendly food options to your menu so that little tummies are satisfied and hunger isn’t an issue.

Keeping them busy

Consider having a kids only table that you can cover with paper table cloths, crayons and activities for them to do during the reception. You could even have a competition or treasure hunt for them with a little prize at the end.

An activity pack for each kid could be the difference between them having a ball and having a melt-down. Think party bag trinkets, colouring books and mini-activities they can be getting on with throughout the day.

If the budget allows consider getting a children’s entertainer or nanny in for a few hours to give all the adults time off. If the budget is tight but you’ll be inviting quite a few kids, why not get all the parents on board and ask everyone to contribute a little towards it?

Depending on the space available at your venue, why not have a chill out room for the little people to retire to if it all gets too much? You could have some classic Disney films on standby, some comfy seating and snacks to keep them occupied.

Keeping your sanity

Have a Grandparent/Godparent/close friend on designated kid watch for your own children. If someone you trust can keep an eye on them or look after them throughout the day you are much more likely to be able to enjoy your day without the constant worry of what the little people are up to.

Agree on a ‘bed time’ for all kids present so that you don’t get any overtired tantrums and the adults can really let their hair down.

Be flexible. Things are always more unpredictable with little ones involved so try not to worry too much about how the day will pan out.

Surviving wedding season with the kids in towYou might find yourself attending a wedding planned by a friend without kids. I’ll be honest, before I had a baby I had a very different idea of what taking a child to a wedding would be like – didn’t we all have wildly different expectations of what having kids would be like in general? Bear that in mind when taking your kids along with you. Here are some things to think about.

Take snacks. Lots and lots of snacks. Snacks save lives. Also if your kids are selective eaters they might struggle with whatever is on the menu.

A buggy can be a useful nap aid if your little person still needs sleep to survive the day. Also think about some kind of shade to darken the inside of the buggy and make it a more peaceful place to sleep.

Take lots of distractions. Think about taking a small activity pack with you to keep them entertained and out of mischief. Fill it with their favourite activities and some small, perhaps new toys, that they can keep themselves busy with throughout the day.

A change of clothes might help. You just never know.

Have a plan for the evening. Will you stay on and party into wee hours with the adults or will you take the little ones home and leave earlier. Maybe you could get a Grandparent involved to come and pick them up near the witching hour so you can switch off without having to worry about getting back?

Above everything else, try and enjoy yourselves. Good luck!

A Guest Blog from Jess Watson

About Jess

MumBoss Jess has recently created The Homemade Wedding Company and specialises in helping couples create their own DIY wedding. Jess runs DIY workshops and inspiration sessions to help you make the most of your wedding budget and can help with generating ideas, venue styling and wedding flowers. Jess still has some spaces available for her next DIY wedding flowers workshops on 30th June and 28th July. You can find more information here.

When not obsessing about weddings Jess is a stay-at-home Mum to 14 month old Anya and fur baby Penny the cat. She lives in Gloucester with her rugby-mad husband James and as a family they love being outdoors. They will be embarking on their first holiday abroad with a toddler later this summer so wish them luck!